Obama (Re)Education Summer Camps & Saul Alinsky's Rules For Radicals

No-Quarter is reporting that Obama is sponsoring "summer camps" for his supporters that appear to be part indoctrination, part training in the Saul Alinsky strategy. Here is the e-mail being sent to Obama supporters:

Dear ___________,

You have an opportunity to play a major role in this nationwide movement for change.

Dedicated volunteers like you have brought us this far. But to execute our strategy for the general election, we need supporters to step into one of the most important roles of our campaign.

If you’re ready to take the next step, you are invited to attend a two-day Camp Obama training session near you.


Learn more about this special opportunity and apply to attend Camp Obama right now:

Camp Obama trainings offer a unique, in-depth look at the strategies and techniques that have driven this campaign.

These two-day sessions, to be held August 15th - 16th, are led by experienced Obama campaign staffers and other professional organizers who are eager to empower dedicated supporters like you.

After completing a camp session, attendees will be asked to fill essential volunteer positions in battleground states — these are demanding roles, but they are a vital part of our election strategy.

Supporters with experience in community organizing or political campaigns are strongly encouraged to apply. But the only requirement is that you support Barack and be ready to turn your enthusiasm and energy into action.

Here are some of the skills you’ll learn at Camp Obama:
• Tactics that will help you creatively and effectively organize voters
• Tips to increase the visibility of the campaign in your area
• Keys to mobilizing other volunteers to join our movement

Apply now for a Camp Obama training near you:

We’re excited to invite our most dedicated supporters to get involved with the campaign in this crucial role.

Thank you for everything you’re doing to build this movement,

Obama for America

Simon at Power & Control has a fascinating post on the tactics of Saul Alinsky that the Obama campaign is using and the countering tactics of John McCain:

So let us have a look at Alinsky's handbook Rules For Radicals. Just so we can see the train coming and get off the tracks. Here is a list of the rules.

RULE 1:"Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have." Power is derived from 2 main sources - money and people. "Have-Nots" must build power from flesh and blood. (These are two things of which there is a plentiful supply. Government and corporations always have a difficult time appealing to people, and usually do so almost exclusively with economic arguments.)

That would explain a lot of the current campaign's dynamics. Obama is running on the idea that a lot of people fear being called racists. If that fear is not there then his campaign has no power. McCain has neutered that whole line of attack. It may play well among the latte liberals (Tom Wolfe called them the radical chic) but it will not play well against the original anti-slavery party (Abe Lincoln was a Republican).

RULE 2: "Never go outside the expertise of your people." It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone. (Organizations under attack wonder why radicals don't address the "real" issues. This is why. They avoid things with which they have no knowledge.)

This would explain Obama's One note campaign: "I'm Black. Vote for me or we will brand you a racist." All his other policy positions are amendable (see flip-flop, Obama). Obama might not know math, science, economics, or any number of other things. He does know race and so does his base. . . .

Read the whole post. It is very good reading. On a related note, you will find the results of Mr. Obama's community organizing told in pictorial fashion at Doug Ross's Journal.